I operate this exact same way.

The thing is...I don't know anyone very close to me who experiences art and music in this particular way; tied to their own expression/inspiration to create, rather than simply a product to consume/enjoy). If they do, we don't ever communicate about it.

I can go for months without hearing anything that piques my interest. And, sometimes, even if I try to force myself to tune into some sound or another, I just find it grating, redundant; it doesn't work.

And then, I'll have times where things start to stick, and click, and bring inspiration and new ideas, and it all starts to feel like a natural flow again. (Maybe I'm simply describing a mild case of bipolar disorder, but I've never been diagnosed, and it's not tied to a plummet or rise of emotion.)

Maybe it's just a naturally occurring creative resource, in life, that I haven't ever realized exists, freely, for me to hone my use of. And now that you've brought it up, it makes me want to try harder to take advantage of that.

I honestly feel like I've been looking all my life for someone who 'gets' this process, and actively, intentionally partakes in it. It's just such an indescribably fun experience once you find yourself floating within all the inspiration it brings; the connections that come, the paths it sends you wandering down that you never would've ever thought to tread otherwise. To share that with someone else who understood, and reciprocated from their own unique perspective, would be amazing. But I sure can have plenty of fun on my own, too!

Thanks for sharing the insight. Writing from Charlotte, NC here.